Yea or Nay : House of Babies on Discovery Health Channel - Page 2

[thefragile7393]

like it. It's very different then any of the other birthing shows...more positive outcomes.

Yes, there is some med-wiveyness there. There's stuff I've seen that really dosn't seem to be necessary. I think ,though, that many women are so used to the OB model of care that many midwives have adapted to this. When I would go for group prenatal care, one first-time mom said she was scared because she had no idea what to do..."I can follow directions very well! Just tell me what to do when I show up!" I think a lot of moms think the same way and need this. Just because it's not ideal for many people dosn't mean it's a bad show all in all. I'd rather watch it over any of the other birth shows any day because at least this one shows some semblance of what a normal healthy birth is.

[mwherbs]

regardless of the midwife's style- the show is about successful unmedicated vaginal births--- with that show you are not seeing the typical 80-90% medicated births that you will see here in the hospitals and many of those medicated moms will be cared for by bossy and controlling nurses or docs or mws, in most hospitals women are "passively restrained" by the use of IVs on one side of the and the bp cuff on the other and the belts attached to the monitor , heavily coached pushing frequent shifts into use of pit or vaccume or c-section . In contrast you get a view of intermittent monitoring, mobile/semi-mobile women , unmedicated labor and birth . I feel that regardless of what we may have as personal ideals of behavior and interaction- the presentation of an attended normal birth that should be possible not only at that birth center but in most hospitals. I think ideally yes there should be a range of "natural" births presented with all sorts of provider styles, but so far this is the only show.

[WaitingForKiddos]

This has been discussed before.

I don't like House of Babies or the owner midwife, Sheri. There is another midwife there...older woman with long grey hair. She seems more like the type of midwife I like.

The births presented are great in that they are non-medicated. However I don't see them as empowering at all. They just seem like a med-free birth at a hospital. Everyone is still yelling at/to the mom, there's about 4398567 birth center staff between the mother's legs during crowning, and the standard position in their tub seems to be 'The Position'...not the natural position that mom went into.

Sheri will pierce newborn's ear lobs...with the method of shoving the blunt stud through the lobe by force of her fingers.

Sheri supports RIC and will have it done in the center. I do not know if she will do the circ herself but there will be a mohel available.

The narrator drives me nuts too.

[witchygrrl]

I actually do like the show and the head midwife, Shari. She shoots from the hip and doesn't BS anyone...something I appreciate.

As for her having circs in her facility, I believe she is Jewish, and perhaps has them for religious reasons...not defending her on this one, though.

[~Stephanie~]

I enjoy watching the show! I like it much better than any other "birth" shows on television.

[green_momma2007]

Originally Posted by witchygrrl

I actually do like the show and the head midwife, Shari. She shoots from the hip and doesn't BS anyone...something I appreciate.

As for her having circs in her facility, I believe she is Jewish, and perhaps has them for religious reasons...not defending her on this one, though.

I've never seen the show, but I did go to the birth center initially when I became pregnant this time around. A big portion of her clientele are conservative Jewish couples who circumcize for religious reasons.

[Veritaserum]

Originally Posted by green_momma2007

I've never seen the show, but I did go to the birth center initially when I became pregnant this time around. A big portion of her clientele are conservative Jewish couples who circumcize for religious reasons.

If it's religious circumcision, why would it be done at the birth center?

I guess I'm more bothered seeing midwives being so aggressive than I am when I see doctors do it. It's to be expected of doctors (it isn't right, but it is the norm). I wish that those midwives were less...controlling.

Plus I think the midwives at the center may be somewhat out of touch with the rest of the natural childbirth community. I remember an episode where Shari talks about sitting being a really great position for birth. While I wouldn't tell a woman to get out of that position if that's what feels right for her, I wouldn't encourage that position because of the pressure it puts on the tailbone and the way it closes off the pelvis. I get the feeling that Shari wouldn't be very supportive of, say, a hypnosis mom or anyone else who approaches birth from a different philosophy.

I dunno. Maybe the clients she serves frequently feel totally clueless and ask for a lot of coaching. In my experience, though, most women can be greatly helped by prenatal education and encouragement during the birth to do what feels right for them.

[felix23]

Originally Posted by rmzbm

I don't like it. The mw is way too bossy and controlling.

: If anyone EVER talked to me the way the head midwife talks to women I would end cussing them out and I'm not one to cuss. She is so loud, abrasive, and bossy during a time that she be calm and relaxed. I like the other midwife, though, but they don't seem to show her a lot.

[amyaebi]

And I thought that I was the only one annoyed by the show.

It does redeem itself in some ways just by showing that having a baby outside the hospital without medication is safe and can have positive outcomes.

However, Shari screaming at women to push, kind of reinforces the idea that women have no idea how to give birth and they need someone there who is bossy, pushy and aggressive to "help" them do it.

Amy

[Belle]

Originally Posted by UrbanCrunchyMama

On today's episode, a first-time mom went into the birth center after her water had broken. The midwife (not Shari) and husband sat on one side of the room, and the mom sat on the exam table on the other side of the room. The MW was actually quizzing the mom on things she learned in childbirth class.

"How many hours to do have to labor after your water breaks?"
"Wow, you remembered. That's right -- 24 hours."
"Now do you remember how you need to breathe during labor?"
"You don't remember? Like this..."

Are you friggin' kidding me?! The mom was already anxious enough! And to be quizzed on top of that! Oh, then (for whatever unspecified reason), the husband was not present at the birth because he went home while his wife was napping (so the woman's brother was called upon as the stand-in labor partner). What's up with that?

The only reason she was emphasising the 24 hour thing is that its Florida state law. My 2nd dd was born at home 40 hours after my water broke so I think its a stupid law.

[UrbanCrunchyMama]

Originally Posted by Belle

The only reason she was emphasising the 24 hour thing is that its Florida state law. My 2nd dd was born at home 40 hours after my water broke so I think its a stupid law.

Yeah, it think it's a pretty common law. What annoyed me was the tone the midwife took, that she was literally quizzing a first-time mom in labor. Based on the mom's facial expression, what that mom needed most was support and encouragement to calm her anxiety.

[Incubator]

Originally Posted by UrbanCrunchyMama

What path did you ultimately choose for a career?

Um... a mom.

After I'm done being a full-time mom, I want to be a midwife, actually. If I can't do that I want to be a doula, or a surrogate mother. It's an addiction I have, I know, but after my son I just can't stop myself.

[prettypixels]

Sheri will pierce newborn's ear lobs...with the method of shoving the blunt stud through the lobe by force of her fingers.

That is disgusting!